Investigation finds Rhode Island governor played a role in awarding contract

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A long-running investigation found Tuesday that the Rhode Island governor “personally and directly intervened” in the awarding of a multimillion-dollar state contract but that his actions were not criminal.

The findings of the investigation from the Office of the Attorney General and the Rhode Island State Police focused on the awarding of a consulting contract worth more than $5 million to the ILO Group.

The allegation was that Democratic Gov. Dan McKee steered the federally funded state contract to the company in exchange for a politically connected firm, Chiefs of Change, paying a political affairs firm to provide services to the governor. The report concluded that both allegations were true based on the evidence and “cannot be seriously disputed.”

But the investigation concluded McKee’s actions did not violate the state’s bribery and campaign finance laws.

“Failure to abide by state procurement regulations is not in and of itself a criminal offense,” the report continued. “Likewise, that an official action may have been influenced or informed by personal relationships does not violate state criminal law. At the end of the day, to bring a criminal bribery case this Office needs clear evidence, beyond inferences and suppositions.”

McKee, who refused to be interviewed as part of the investigation, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

John Marion, the executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, said his group took issue with the idea that McKee could not be prosecuted under the state’s Code of Ethics.

“No Rhode Islander should feel good about what they read in this report,” Marion said in a statement. “The Governor and every elected official are stewards of the taxpayer’s resources. That is why state contracts should be awarded to vendors who provide the best service to the people of the state, not to the politically connected.”